Maxine Waters: San Francisco Man Charged With Sending Racist Death Threat To U.S. Rep.
A 71-year-old San Francisco man was charged last week with sending Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), a death threat that included a racist slur and was signed on behalf of the Ku Klux Klan terrorist group, reports say.
Michael Anthony Gallagher, 71, was charged Wednesday (August 11) with sending threatening forms of communication via mail, The Mercury News reports. It’s alleged that he sent a postcard to Waters on January 8, 2019. If found guilty, Gallagher faces up to 10 years in prison under the federal offense.
The death threat was made public just last Wednesday.
“The Sheriff of Stanislaus County says you and your (profanity) are (profanity),” Gallagher wrote on the postcard, the news outlet writes. The racial slur that he used is one that refers to Latinos. “We will successfully put a bullet in your head. -+KKK.”
His first court appearance was last March and he pleaded not guilty to the federal charge brought against him.
In October 2018, Waters was one of several Democratic leaders who were targeted by a mail-bombing attack, just three months prior to the postcard threat. FBI and U.S. Capitol police were able to seize the bombs before they arrived at Waters' office, the report notes.
Threats made against Waters were increasing after calling for former President Donald Trump’s impeachment.
